Should you’ve been hanging round on the earth of electrical bikes for any first rate period of time, you’ve in all probability come throughout Bafang. They don’t make electrical bikes, however they’ve lengthy made most of the elements utilized by them. I visited the manufacturing facility again in 2019, and just lately returned for a second go to to see what had modified. Boy, was I unprepared for what awaited me…
After I say that Bafang makes most of the elements discovered within the e-bike you in all probability have at house, that now looks like an understatement. With all the new tech and developments the corporate has made, they now produce nearly each half utilized in electrical bike drive programs.
And never solely that, however their manufacturing processes have modified considerably over the previous couple of years.
To see behind the scenes your self, take a look at my video from the go to beneath.
Even from the primary second I walked by means of the gates, the updates had been obvious. Since my final go to, Bafang has moved into an enormous new advanced, which is vital since a few of their new manufacturing now consists of the addition of full e-bike battery design and manufacturing. That clearly requires considerably extra of a footprint than only a motor and drive system maker.
However earlier than I get to the brand new battery work, let’s begin initially. I started my go to within the R&D division, the place a devoted group of engineers and designers work collectively on drawing up the subsequent era of e-bike elements. After I visited in 2019, there have been hints within the air that Bafang was engaged on an answer to the frequent subject of e-bike motors having an unlucky tendency to wreak havoc on conventional bicycle transmissions. There’s only a restricted quantity of energy that the majority bicycle shifters and derailleurs are designed for, and that quantity normally falls above leg energy however beneath motor energy.
Now I used to be happy to see that Bafang has a number of choices for their very own in-house developed transmissions constructed round internally geared hubs (IGHs). IGHs are prized within the bicycle world for his or her clear, low-maintenance design that fully replaces a dangling derailleur. Nonetheless, using an internally geared hub usually means you’ll be able to’t use a hub motor (or need to put it within the entrance wheel, which is much less fascinating). However not solely has Bafang developed their very own IGHs, however they’ve even included hub motors into the design, creating multi-speed transmissions that share the identical wheel hub as an electrical motor. That innovation, referred to as the Bafang GVT line (Gear Variable Transmission), opens a complete new world of e-bike prospects by placing an internally geared hub and a hub motor in the identical product. And on prime of that, the shifting happens solely mechanically and with out exterior cables or wires. Intelligent use of mechanical elements retains the complete factor sealed and with out further exterior elements that may put on out or fail.
I used to be in a position to take a look at a number of of those designs in Bafang’s showroom, and even examined them out later within the day on a number of completely different e-bikes sporting Bafang’s elements. However alas, I’m getting forward of myself.
A giant a part of R&D goes past simply imagining new elements. Bafang has to carefully check their designs to make sure they’ll deal with the tough world wherein e-bikes dwell. From strain tanks of water that expose any air gaps in motors to brutal drop exams and shaker tables, the corporate’s engineers completely torture these poor gadgets whereas in search of how and the place they’ll fail.
That testing not solely results in design enhancements, however generally even to the event of latest supplies. Bafang makes use of their very own proprietary materials for the gears used of their motors, providing extra power and ruggedness than typical nylon gears, however much less noise than metal gears.
There are soundproof rooms for making probably the most minute measurements of the sounds produced by varied elements, and even an EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) chamber for electrical security testing and compliance certification, the place e-bikes and elements could be examined to make sure that all the varied items are working collectively correctly with out creating any pointless or doubtlessly problematic electromagnetic radiation. That is additionally vital to making sure compatability of varied electrical elements in order that they don’t intrude with each other.
With a greater understanding of the method that goes into R&D, I moved on to the manufacturing facility the place manufacturing happens. Right here all of it begins in with high quality inspections that make sure that the elements that go into Bafang’s merchandise are inside manufacturing tolerances. Parts like motor shells and bearings are vital to the efficiency of an e-bike’s drive system, and so elements are scrutinized in fantastic element with micron-level measurements earlier than they make it to the manufacturing facility flooring the place they are going to be included into assemblies.
After passing their checks, elements head right into a largely automated course of. For instance, the motor shells are dealt with by robots that transfer them by means of a number of levels on an meeting line, including gears, spreading grease, and receiving their motor cores.
These motor cores move by means of their very own robotic strains, with the copper wire spun by precision machines. One of these work was usually achieved by hand years in the past, however has now been supplanted by automated machines which can be quicker and extra correct.
At this level, the sub-assemblies transfer to a closing meeting line, one of many few locations you continue to see a lot of human employees. Right here, mid-drive motors obtain their closing meeting by hand. There are nonetheless a number of variations I seen although, akin to the dearth of laser-engraved serial numbers, which have now been changed by particular stickers that retain the motor shell’s corrosion-resistant end as an alternative of engraving it away. The only sticker additionally replaces the a number of stickers of varied shapes and sizes that use to supply a hodgepodge of data, and have now been streamlined right into a single unobstrusive marker that additionally leaves the protecting coating of the motor’s shell unaffected.
Motors are examined one closing time on a bench equipment, guaranteeing they meet all the proper specs, earlier than reaching their closing cease on the conveyor belt: packaging.
Close by, one other machine types small elements akin to nuts and washers which can be included with merchandise like hub motors, mechanically bagging them to be included within the motor packing containers.
It’s the same story for a number of different elements I noticed, from handlebar shows to wiring harnesses. A lot of the method has now been automated with particular machines that mechanically strip wires, mount connectors, glue show covers, and different steps which can be extremely handbook and repetitive. Not all the pieces has been changed by robots, and also you actually nonetheless see many line employees, however a major variety of the duties have been automated, and that looks like a development that may proceed.
One different intersting replace I noticed was a change to the best way the soldering stations are arrange. Beforehand, fumehoods had been mounted above soldering stations that may suck out the fumes from the soldering operations.
That helps forestall these fumes from increase within the room, however the person employees at every sales space aren’t as protected because the fumes nonetheless move by their faces.
The brand new setup has vacuum holes within the precise workstation floor that suck the fumes down and out by means of the desk, stopping even the preliminary employee from being uncovered to soldering fumes.
It’s a nicer setup that protects everybody, and I used to be glad to see the upgrades.
Bafang Battery Manufacturing unit
The subsequent a part of the tour took me into the battery manufacturing facility, which was like coming into a courageous new world for an e-bike elements provider. Usually, battery factories are standalone operations run purely by battery makers. However Bafang has grown so giant that at this level, it is sensible for them to put money into constructing their very own top quality battery packs. It’s one thing they’ve been learning for almost a decade, largely staying within the R&D part. However in the previous couple of years, they’ve introduced these designs to life and entered full battery manufacturing.
Once more although, I’m getting forward of myself. Becuase it’s that design stage that’s vital to the standard and security of batteries. Equally to the e-bike drive system aspect of issues, the battery manufacturing facility has its personal R&D part that scrutinizes completely different cells and batteries whereas making ready and testing new designs to make sure they’ll meet the right security and efficiency necessities set by Bafang. Assuming they do, they might find yourself slated for manufacturing and develop into one of many firm’s new battery pack choices.
Manufacturing on the manufacturing facility flooring begins with the person battery cells that may ultimately make up the bigger battery packs. They’re examined to make sure they move high quality checks earlier than being mechanically sorted by robots into probably the most applicable mixtures of cells based mostly on related inside resistances.
Laptop-controlled ultrasonic welding machines then mix these battery cells into bigger packs, that are encased in varied enclosures relying on the particular mannequin of battery. Earlier than the battery instances are even sealed, every battery is put by means of a sequence of bench exams to make sure it meets the right parameters. After the batteries move these checks, they get sealed and despatched to carry out a whole testing cycle, the place rows of cabinets home tons of – possibly hundreds – of actively charging and discharging battery packs. After getting the inexperienced gentle following a profitable cost and discharge cycle check, the battery is lastly packaged and ready to be despatched on its approach to an e-bike manufacturing facility.
The size of Bafang’s operations is nothing in need of spectacular. I’ve visited dozens of Chinese language factories at this level however I’ve by no means seen such an all-encompassing operation from an e-bike element maker. With the addition of battery packs, to not point out all the opposite drivetrain elements made by Bafang, the corporate actually is a one-stop store now for e-bike OEMs.
It has been an unimaginable expertise to see not simply the elements and designs, however the best way that manufacturing has essentially modified within Bafang’s partitions during the last a number of years. And at this fee, I’m fascinated to see what new improvements the subsequent few years might carry.
Don’t neglect to take a look at the video of this behind-the-scenes tour, beneath!
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